A method for manufacturing billets of metal with a metal powder as the starting material is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 123,731, filed Feb. 22, 1980. According to this method the metal powder is enclosed as a charge in a capsule, the capsule with the powder charge therein is heated, the heated capsule is inserted into a press chamber and surrounded by a readily deformable layer of a thermally stable powder whose powder grains have a layer structure, and thus slide easily against one another, and which layer has good heat-insulating properties. A piston is inserted into the press chamber and brings about compression of the powder charge and bonding between the powder grains of the charge so that a homogeneous body with the full (or substantially full) theoretical density is obtained. From considerations of price and availability, the readily deformable powder is suitably talcum powder, but other substances having similar properties, such as pyrophyllite, may also be used. The billets manufactured by this method have so far been intended for further machining into end products having a shape and size which are different from those of the billet. The method has not been suitable for the manufacture of billets of a shape and size which are virtually the same as those of the desired end product.